CRITERION™ Violet Red Bile Glucose Agar (VRBGA) is a selective medium used for the detection and enumeration of Enterobacteriaceae in food, dairy products, and environmental samples. VRBGA is widely used in ISO, FDA, USDA, and AOAC regulatory testing workflows to assess hygiene, sanitation, and product quality across the food and beverage industry.

This medium contains crystal violet and bile salts, which inhibit Gram-positive bacteria, while glucose fermentation by Enterobacteriaceae produces characteristic red to purple colonies surrounded by precipitated bile. This allows rapid differentiation and enumeration of E. coli, Enterobacter, Klebsiella, Citrobacter, and related organisms.

VRBGA is commonly used for:

Total Enterobacteriaceae count

Hygiene monitoring in dairy and food manufacturing

HACCP verification

Product release testing

Environmental surface microbiology

Hardy Diagnostics’ CRITERION™ formulation ensures high solubility, consistent colony morphology, and precise selective performance, making it dependable for routine and regulated workflows.

Key Features:

Selective medium for Enterobacteriaceae detection and enumeration

Crystal violet and bile salts inhibit non-target organisms

Glucose fermentation yields distinctive colony morphology

Essential for HACCP, sanitation monitoring, and food quality control

500g wide-mouth container simplifies media preparation

High solubility and reliable batch-to-batch consistency

Manufactured for dependable performance in regulatory food testing

Specifications
Manufacturer: Hardy Diagnostics
Brand: CRITERION™
Product Type: Dehydrated Culture Media
Medium Name: Violet Red Bile Glucose Agar (VRBGA)
Application: Detection and enumeration of Enterobacteriaceae in food and dairy products; regulatory food safety testing
Format: Dehydrated powder
Fill Volume: 500gm
Pack Size: Each
Industry Use: Food Safety; Environmental; Clinical; Cosmetics; Cannabis QA Testing; Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
Selective Agents: Crystal violet and bile salts
Carbohydrate Source: Glucose (for Enterobacteriaceae differentiation)
Organism Recovery: Enterobacteriaceae (e.g., E. coli, Enterobacter, Klebsiella, Citrobacter)
Container Type: 500gm wide-mouth bottle
Container Features: Easy grip, stackable design, wide opening to reduce dust
Solubility: High solubility for uniform media preparation
Quality: Tested for selective performance and colony clarity; technical sheets available